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Guard Well Awarded Most Promising Solution Provider – 2020

Guard Well Awarded Most Promising Solution Provider – 2020

Enterprise Security Magazine has once again recognized Guard Well Identity Theft Solutions in their CIOReview as one of the most promising Identity Governance and Administration Solution Providers. The magazine previously featured Guard Well’s Founder and CEO in their article Protecting Your Employees and Company Bottom Line.

 

Most firms have a considerable stockpile of end-of-life IT assets that are loaded with sensitive data and are quickly depreciating. The latest article in CIOReview, Guard Well Identity Theft Solutions: Shifting a Liability and Expense Into Profit, explains how companies are reaping the rewards from trusting the Guard Well data risk mitigation process.

 

Located in Cincinnati, OH, Guard Well has disrupted the enterprise data risk mitigation space with a new solution that wipes and certifies IT hard drives at no fee, repurposes the gear (which is the greenest solution available), and then shares the profit with the client. Guard Well partners only with organizations that use data eradication software endorsed by the Department of Defense (DoD) and which are HIPAA and FDIC compliant.

 

The CIOReview states, “Having achieved a resounding success in the months prior to the outbreak of COVID-19, Guard Well looks poised to create many more success stories in the area of enterprise risk mitigation.” To learn more, visit https://guardwellid.com/enterprise-data-risk-mitigation/.

 

Guard Well is available 24/7/365 at 888.966.GUARD (4827) or via email to [email protected].

Guard Well Introduces Three Bureau Credit Report & Score Center

Guard Well Introduces Three Bureau Credit Report & Score Center

Now more than ever, having the right identity theft protection in place is critical. “Cyberattacks, especially phishing scams, are on the rise and that means that identity theft rates are increasing as well,” remarks E. Allan Hilsinger, Founder and CEO of Guard Well Identity Theft Solutions. “Although identity theft is not preventable, it is key to be proactive and identify issues swiftly. This is why we developed the Guard Well Credit Report and Score Center.”

 

In order to assist Guard Well Members and the general public in being cyber smart, Guard Well’s new ‘a la carte’ feature will help save time and identify issues before they could potentially turn into huge problems.

 

To obtain your three-bureau credit reports and score, please visit the Guard Well website and click on the red button in the upper right-hand corner that says Get My Credit Report and Score. Or, visit www.guardwellcredit.com to view your reports and scores within seconds.

 

 

You do not have to be a Guard Well member to utilize this special feature. For a one-time fee of $19.95, you have access to all of your credit reports and scores within seconds. The process is clearly explained with easy to understand instructions to walk you through the activity quickly.

 

First, you will enter your personal information and then agree to Terms and Conditions. Then you will verify your identity by accurately answering the questions provided. On the next page, you will enter your credit/debit card payment information. Once submitted, all three credit bureau reports and scores (Experian, Equifax and TransUnion) will appear in seconds for you to review and print.

 

After you complete this process, reach out to us immediately if you notice anything unusual in your reports. Be smart. Be vigilant. Be strong. We are always available 24/7/365 if you ever have any questions or concerns. Call us at 888.966.GUARD (4827) or email [email protected].

 

Photo credit: Photo by Dylan Gillis via Unsplash.com.

 

 

 

 

Veteran Data Exposed in Recent Breach

Veteran Data Exposed in Recent Breach

Last month the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) Financial Services Center reported that the personal identifying information (PII) of more than 46,000 veterans had been stolen. Social security numbers may have been included in the hack. The VA Financial Services Center is in process of alerting impacted individuals via mail.

 

If you are a veteran (or next of kin of a deceased veteran), we suggest that you be on the lookout for any signs of fraud.

 

– Continue to watch your credit and individual account statements for activity that you have not initiated.

 

– Do not respond to any emails, phone calls or direct messages from anyone saying that they are from the VA Financial Services Center. The VA will contact anyone impacted via mail only.

 

Please reach out to us immediately if you have any questions or concerns about this alert. Be smart. Be vigilant. Be strong. As always, we are available for you and your family members 24/7/365 at 888.966.GUARD (4827) or [email protected].

 

Photo credit: Photo by Samuel Branch on Unsplash

Dark Web Alert: Large Sets of Compromised Data

Dark Web Alert: Large Sets of Compromised Data

Our security teams have discovered additional large sets of compromised data on the Dark Web. More than 50 million records have been breached. The websites below (when known) have been affected. If you have visited these websites or have engaged in business activity with any of these companies, please call us at 888.966.GUARD (4827) to speak with a fraud resolution specialist. Likewise, if you have questions or concerns feel free to call anytime. We are available for you 24/7/365.

 

– City of Knoxville, TN Government Servers. Breach date: July, 2020. Data exposed: emails and bank accounts.

 

– Unknown. Breach date: unknown. Breach size: 50 million. Data exposed: names, emails, addresses, phone and gender. More information to come.

 

– UniversalLogistics.com. Breach date: June 11, 2020. Data exposed: corporate operational data reports, emails, invoices and personal data (names, DOB, SSN, driver’s license, credit cards).

 

 

Websites with Compromised Data on the Dark Web

Websites with Compromised Data on the Dark Web

Our security teams have recently discovered several large sets of compromised data on the Dark Web. The websites listed below have been affected. If you have visited these websites or have engaged in business activity with any of these companies, please call us at 888.966.GUARD (4827) to speak with a fraud resolution specialist. Likewise, if you have questions or concerns feel free to call anytime. We are available for you 24/7/365.

 

– apollo.io

– appen.com (formerly crowdflower.com)

– scentbird.com

– swvl.com

– promo.com (previously slide.ly)

– mathway.com

– truefire.com

– ggumim.co.kr

– dave.com

– chatbooks.com

– hurb.com

– liveauctioneers.com

– kreditplus.com

– execupharm.com

– dunzo.com

– verifications.io

– catho.com.br

– bhinneka.com

– wattpad.com

– gigasize.com

– netsential.com

 

 

Guard Well Recognized as Top 10 IAM Solutions Provider

Guard Well Recognized as Top 10 IAM Solutions Provider

Enterprise Security Magazine has once again recognized Guard Well Identity Theft Solutions as a Top 10 Identity and Access Management (IAM) Solutions Provider. The magazine first featured Guard Well’s Founder and CEO earlier this year. Check out the article: “Protecting Your Employees and Company Bottom Line.”
Guard Well is available 24/7/365 at 888.966.GUARD (4827) or via email to [email protected].
Turning Your IT Boneyard into a Profit Center

Turning Your IT Boneyard into a Profit Center

Like most families and organizations in America, you probably have a pile, or maybe even a storage room or two, full of IT assets that are not being used. They’re at the end of their life. They are holding extremely sensitive data. They’re also depreciating quickly.

 

In ongoing efforts to analyze employer risks, and find effective solutions to mitigate them, Guard Well Identity Theft Solutions has developed a Data Risk Mitigation service. “We have partnered with highly experienced software engineers who have perfected the end-of-life process for data center/IT hardware for over twenty years,” remarked E. Allan Hilsinger, Founder and CEO. What does this mean for you? “You have gear … we have cash! It’s really that simple.” He continued to explain, “We buy a customer’s IT boneyard essentially turning their headache, risk, and expense into a profit center. We ensure total data destruction by using the U.S. Department of Defense endorsed three swipe data eradication process, which can occur on or off-site.”

 

How does this process work? The customer’s IT inventory list is reviewed (and created if needed). Then an estimate to purchase if provided. If the estimate is agreed upon, the proper change of custody paperwork will be executed, gear will be accepted and the company gets to work. After the three swipe data eradication process is complete for each piece of equipment, certificates of complete data eradication for each hard drive are provided. Once wiped, the gear is repurposed and the customer will receive the revenue share previously agreed upon.

 

As with all Guard Well programs, our team continuously strives to keep the process simple, safe, and hassle-free and with minimal effort required by your IT team. We are experts on keeping your asset value at a maximum and while completely eliminating data risk.

 

Interested in learning more? Schedule an appointment with us via the ‘contact us’ form on our website or call us today at 888.966.4827 (GUARD).

 

Photo by Tisteo on Unsplash.com

 

Cybercrime Dark Web Alert – Ten Company Databases Sold

Cybercrime Dark Web Alert – Ten Company Databases Sold

A hacker group known as “ShinyHunters” is selling the data of 10 companies on a dark web cybercrime marketplace. The user databases, which total 73.2 million records, allegedly stolen include the following:

 

– Online dating app Zoosk (30 million user records)

– Printing service Chatbooks (15 million user records)

– South Korean fashion platform StyleShare (6 million user records)

– Food delivery service Home Chef (8 million user records)

– Online marketplace Minted (5 million user records)

– Online newspaper Chronicle of Higher Education (3 million user records)

– South Korean furniture magazine GGuMim (2 million user records)

– Health magazine Mindful (2 million user records)

– Indonesia online store Bhinneka (1.2 million user records)

– US newspaper StarTribune (1 million user records)

 

If you have accounts with the listed companies, please contact us immediately. We are available for you 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year at 888.966.4827 (GUARD) and [email protected].

Fun Things to Do from Home … Really!

Fun Things to Do from Home … Really!

There are only so many closets that can be cleaned out and pantries to organize while practicing social distancing, right? Do you find that you’re running out of ideas to keep yourself entertained, your children learning and even your pets busy doing something not destructive … if even just for ten minutes? We understand that when you’re having to spend much more time with your family, how precious those ten minutes are!

 

Some of these ideas may already be in your repertoire. We hope that there are some new ones that will help put a smile on your face … and grant you those ten minutes of much-needed peace.

 

– Virtually travel to places you have always wanted to see. Some of our favorites are The Louvre in Paris; The San Diego Zoo and Monterey Bay Aquarium in California; Frank Lloyd Wright’s masterpiece Guggenheim in NYC; the Van Gogh Museum in Amsterdam; the Uffizi Gallery in Florence, Italy; the Acropolis in Athens, Greece; and, the Children’s Museum of Manhattan. Visit Google Arts & Culture for even more amazing virtual experiences, including some for pets.

 

– Get creative in the kitchen. Since you have likely already cleaned out your pantry, you probably know what staples you have on hand. Learn how to improvise and have a contest as to who can come up with the best three-ingredient recipe. One of our favorites is to cook brunch in a large muffin tin. All it takes are three ingredients, a muffin tin, and, in four easy steps, you can have a simple but protein-rich brunch for six: 1) Grease the muffin tin (a large one with six works best). 2) Take some ham slices and line the bottom and sides of each muffin (turkey slices work just as well, too). 3) Break an egg over the top of each ham slice and sprinkle some shredded cheese on top. Bake until the eggs are set (about 20 -25 minutes) and viola! You have brunch for six and no mess to clean up. Check out Taste of Home for 64 for more ideas on cooking in a muffin tin.

 

– How is your green thumb? Did you know that you can re-grow vegetables in only a dish of water indoors in a matter of a couple of weeks? It is a great way to trim your grocery budget and make organic food much more affordable. Ten vegetables to try are celery, carrot greens, cabbage, bok choy, fennel, green onions, lettuce, and garlic chives. We have had the best experience with re-growing celery. Our first try of re-growing living lettuce didn’t go so well – the jury is still out for the second head, which is iceberg. Visit the Don’t Waste the Crumbs website for more indoor gardening ideas.

 

– Tired of looking at the same walls each day? You can redecorate your house without having to buy a thing. Try rearranging furniture and move your knickknacks to other rooms. If you have a sectional sofa, try splitting it up and move the pieces around, even setting them at angles instead of the typical box shape. Move your paintings and photos to other walls in different rooms. If you have a teenager in the house, suggest that they completely rearrange their room … it will certainly take a while and free up bandwidth so you can get some work done quicker! Likely they’ll end up cleaning out their closet and dresser drawers … again!

 

Whatever you do, please stay safe online. We suggest that you revisit our blog, Working from Home Cybersecurity Tips. As always, we are available 24/7/365 for you and your loved ones at 888.966.GUARD (4827) and [email protected]. If you have any fun ideas that you have tried while social distancing, please share them with us in the comments below.

COVID-19 Unemployment Identity Theft Cases on the Rise

COVID-19 Unemployment Identity Theft Cases on the Rise

The COVID-19 pandemic has changed the entire employment image in America. Have you or a loved one needed to reach out to your state unemployment office due to being out of work (or experiencing a massive reduction in work hours)? As if that process wasn’t difficult enough! Unfortunately, many have experienced the shock and dismay when their unemployment claim is turned down for benefits due to a duplicate application. It is happening … and way too often. Hackers live for mankind’s vulnerability, especially during trying times like this.

 

We understand that it’s hard to know what you need to know especially during immense stress. The following are the five most common unemployment scams that we would like for you to be aware of:

 

– Phishing email scams. Be wary of a sender you don’t know even if there are familiar logos visible in the email. Just because the email says it’s coming from your former employer’s CEO, doesn’t mean that it is legit. Verify the sender via phone before you trust the information that they are providing. If no one is available to verify it via a call … it’s a scam.

 

– Debit and direct deposit card scams. Hackers know that states may use debit cards or payments via direct deposit to deliver benefits to you. If you are asked to provide personal identifying information (PII), such as date of birth, social security number, and/or bank account information before you actually apply for a card … it’s a scam. We have seen unemployment debit card scams that end up charging the victim for inactivity.

 

– Fake phone call scams. The Department of Labor suggests to only use official government websites and phone numbers to file a claim for unemployment benefits. If someone calls you before you reach out for help … it’s a scam.

 

– Jobseeker scams. If anyone is interested in hiring you immediately because you are the “perfect” candidate for a position you haven’t sought out … it’s a scam.

 

– Fake job board website scams. If a website asks you to pre-register and give them your bank account information for your first paycheck … it’s a scam.

 

Here are some tips to help avoid unemployment benefit scams:

 

– Do not respond to unsolicited emails and texts. A state will not try to reach you and certainly won’t via text message.

 

– Do not click any type of website link even if it looks like it’s from one of your financial institutions. Scammers are really sneaky. Read our blog Do Not Click! for more information.

 

– Monitor your accounts closely. If an identity thief has enough information to apply (and receive) your benefits, it’s a pretty solid bet that they have information on your other accounts. Update your passwords, which is a step to take even not during a pandemic.

 

– Help keep your PII safe by making sure you’re dealing with a legitimate government representative.

 

 

Interested in learning how to file unemployment benefits in your state? Check this map, select the state where you worked, and you will be directed to the appropriate contact information. Be smart. Be vigilant. Be strong. Please don’t hesitate to reach out if you need help. We are available 24/7/365 for you and your family members at 1.888.966.GUARD (4827) and [email protected].